1. OPIsystems Help Centre
  2. Advanced Grain Management FAQs

What problems does freezing grain cause?

OPIsystems Inc. does not recommend that you freeze your grain mass inside your bins for the following reasons:

  1. Typically, you cool the grain to between 5-10 degrees Celsius (41/50 degrees Fahrenheit), and along with the proper moisture level, you have created a safe storage condition. Continuing to run the fan(s) to lower the temperature doesn't gain you any more benefits, it only increases the risk and utility costs.

  2. Freezing your grain increases the risk of creating condensation in the bin when you run the fans in the fall or spring. This is because of the temperature differences between the humid air being blown into the grain mass by the fans and the frozen grain. This leads to a greater risk of grain loss through spoilage developing in wet spots in the grain mass.

  3. Freezing the grain can cause bridging or crusting of the grain, increasing the risk of a partial or full airflow blockage through the grain mass. This makes it difficult to run fans to deal with hotspots should they develop since the air mass cannot push through the blockage efficiently enough.

  4. In the springtime, the best practice if you have frozen the grain is to start to use the fan(s) to slowly warm the grain up to temperature to avoid condensation. Very few people ever do this, again increasing the risk of spoilage and wasted utility costs as you didn't need to freeze your grain in the first place.